The building-sized mural at the Mosaic Community Garden on Chestnut Street made for a colorful backdrop for Electra Yao, 16, as she spread mulch on PottstownCARES Day last year.
Digital First Media File Photo

POTTSTOWN >> A second application to erect a large mural in the borough may have to await the adoption of new rules governing such works of public art.

A previous application to paint a “Welcome to Pottstown” sign on a concrete barrier at the intersection of King and Manatawny streets was thrown into uncertainty when the property owner refused to accept a borough requirement that he also sign a legal agreement to maintain it.

In a new twist Wednesday night, Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos made public a request to erect a Latino-themed mural on one of two walls of buildings owned by the borough — the Carousel at Pottstown building on King Street, for the former borough garage on Beech Street.

The request comes as the borough staff has been working to revise the original draft or the ordinance after objections were raised by the Pottstown Community Arts, which had proposed painting the welcome sign.

“We have properties in this town that we can’t keep maintained, but we’re going to stop people who are trying to beautify town with a mural because we’re making them maintain it?” Arms asked rhetorically.

“If you try to make this look nice, have to commit to keeping it nice, but we have properties in this town that are God awful, and we can’t get under control,” he said.

But council Vice President Sheryl Miller argued that the maintenance agreements were necessary to protect the borough from liability.

Arms also asked if the borough would have to accept the same kind of maintenance responsibility as other property owners if the CCLU mural is to be put on a borough-owned building.

Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. said the agreements, no matter who owns the building, are subject for negotiation to which the borough must agree. In the case of borough buildings, he explained, the negotiation is simply between the organization seeking to erect the mural, and the borough.

A vote could come as soon as Monday night, both on CCLU’s request and council’s decision to advertise the changes to the mural ordinance.

Lisa Mueller, an artist who reported on the success of the Montgomery County Artist Studio Tour — which included four Pottstown studios and 14 local artists — said she believes the changes to the ordinance are an improvement.

Originally painted in 1993 as Phoenixville was grabbling with the economic impact of the closure of its steel mills, the mural had been taken down because the wall on which it was painted had destabilized

It took 3,000 signatures and the purchase of the building to revive the effort, which is still working to raise $130,000.

About the Author

Evan Brandt has worked for The Mercury since November 1997. His beat includes Pottstown, the surrounding townships and the Pottstown and Pottsgrove school districts, as well as other varied general topics like politics, the environment and education. Reach the author at ebrandt@pottsmerc.com
or follow Evan on Twitter: @PottstownNews.